Over the years, a number of institutions have systematically deployed new technologies to support learning and teaching. Lately, institutions have begun to explore new forms of data in order to understand and effectively address its systemic challenges, and help support effective decision-making. This paper describes the dynamic changes in the landscape of higher education and the challenges that brought about these changes in the 21st century. It will then examine the role of data, particular, Big Data and Analytics in helping the sector adapt to its turbulent environment. The last section finally concludes the paper and describes our ongoing research in the area.